Vibration wave motor

Abstract

A vibration wave motor is driven at a high efficiency by arranging a contact area of a movable member which contacts a vibration member such that a displacement locus in the contact area is essentially coincident with a vibration locus in the vibration member.

We claim: 
     
       1. A vibration wave motor for generating a travelling wave in a vibration member to drive a movable member by said travelling wave comprising: an elastic projection projecting from said moveable member, an edge of said projection contacting said vibration member, said projection being elestically deformed by the vibration of said vibration member under the condition that a supporting point of said projection becomes a fixed point, and said projection contacting said vibration member such that a direction of locus of the elastic deformation of said projection is essentially coincident with a direction of locus of vibration in an area of said movable member in contact with said vibration member.   
     
     
       2. A vibration wave motor for generating a travelling wave in a vibration member to drive a movable member by said travelling wave, comprising: a projecting area projecting from said movable member;   a portion of said projecting area contacting to said vibration member; and   said projecting area being arranged such that a locus of vibration of said vibration member is substantially orthogonal to a line connecting a support point of said projecting area and the contact area of said vibration member.   
     
     
       3. A vibration wave motor for generating a travelling wave in a vibration member to drive a movable member; characterized by that said movable member is of endless shape and has a flange on a circumference thereof,   one end of said flange contacts to said vibration member, and   the contact area of said flange is arranged such that a locus of vibration of said vibration member is substantially orthogonal to a line connecting a support point of said flange and said contact area.   
     
     
       4. A vibration wave motor for generating a travelling wave in a vibration member to drive a movable member comprising: a projecting area obliquely projecting from said movable member, one end of said projecting area contacting to said vibration member;   the contact area of said projecting area which contacts to said vibration member being thicker than other portions of said projecting area.   
     
     
       5. A vibration wave motor for generating a travelling wave in a vibration member to drive a movable member comprising: a projecting area obliquely projecting from said movable member, one end of said projecting area contacting to said vibration member,   the contact area of said projecting area which contacts to said vibration member having a higher rigidity than that of other portions of said projecting area.   
     
     
       6. A vibration wave motor for generating a travelling wave in a vibration member to drive a movable member comprising: a projecting area projecting from said movable member,   a contact area on said projecting area to contact to said vibration member,   said contact area having a higher rigidity than that of other portion of said projecting area.   
     
     
       7. A vibration wave motor for generating a travelling wave in a vibration member to drive a movable member, by said travelling wave; wherein said vibration member is of a ring shape, said movable member is of a circular shape and having a circumference smaller than the internal cicumference of said vibration member, said movable member being arranged such that a part of said movable member is inserted into the internal circumference of said vibration member in a thickness direction thereof;   flange upwardly and angularly projecting from a lower surface of a portion of said movable member which is inserted into the internal circumference of said vibration member, such that an edge portion of said flange contacts with the surface of said vibration member.   
     
     
       8. A vibration wave motor according to claim 1, wherein said projection is composed of two members, one of said two members adapted to form a contact member contacting said vibration member, and said contact member is made of anit-abrasion material. 
     
     
       9. A vibration wave motor according to claim 1, wherein said projection is composed of two members, one of said two members adapted to form a contacting member contacting said vibration member, and said contact member is made of a material of higher rigidity than that of said other member of said projection. 
     
     
       10. A vibration wave motor according to claim 7, wherein said movable member is of a ring shape.